Jacob Louie was a prolific Mowachaht/Muchalaht model totem pole maker. He often carved for William Webber, the owner and operator of the Thunderbird Scenery Shop, a curio store on Granville Street, in Vancouver, BC, that was open from 1923 to 1952. This pole was made for Webber by Louie and bears one of Webber’s signature paper clippings that purports to share a story from the Cowichan people about the “Scallingham Totem Pole.” It also features a stamp stating “Vancouver Canada” on the front of the base. The artists Webber employed were among the best working in their time, and, in addition to Louie, included Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw artist Charlie James (1867-1938) and the Tsimshian artists Frederick Alexcee (1853-1939) and Titus Campbell (1892-1966). Webber donated his art collection and archives to the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) which is available to the public.

This pole is well-carved and painted and features a human figure wearing a conical hat over a bird figure, which in turn sits on a humanoid head. The white undercoat and preponderance of stippling and spots on the chest of the top two figures are diagnostic features of Louie’s work. Another indicator that this pole was made by Louie is how low the wings of the middle bird figure sit on its shoulder. There is a nearly identical pole in the MOV from the Edward and Mary Lipsett Collection (AA 1410).

Christopher W. Smith